The NES Classic Mini has been almost impossible to find since it launched a short time ago, with some North American retailers only getting two or three units per store. Nintendo has been trying to satisfy demand since then but stock is still painfully short, leading to unscrupulous scalpers having a field day on sites like eBay.

Speaking to CNET, Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime held his hands up and admitted that the company hadn't been expecting such incredible demand for the micro-console:

Every day there's more going into the retail channel. The overall level of demand is certainly greater than we anticipated, that's why we're suffering through the shortages out there in the marketplace.

Despite the shortfall in stores, Fils-Aime still sees the NES Classic Mini as a vital part of Nintendo's business strategy this year, and beyond:

We saw the NES Classic as an opportunity to engage with millennials, gen-Xers, boomers, people who had played those games back in the day, but life had gone by, and they had somewhat walked away from gaming.

It was a great way to re-engage them, and our belief is that by re-engaging them, it creates an opportunity for Super Mario Run, it creates an opportunity for our 3DS business, it creates an opportunity for Nintendo Switch, because all of a sudden they're recognizing what they knew 20 or 25 years ago: they love Mario. They love Zelda. They love all of our classic IP, and they're re-engaging with it right now.

Have you been able to get your hands on a NES Classic Mini yet, or have you effectively given up hope of obtaining one before Christmas? Let us know by posting your thoughts below.

Damien has over a decade of professional writing experience under his belt, as well as a repulsively hairy belly. Rumours that he turned down a role in The Hobbit to work on Nintendo Life are, to the best of our knowledge, completely and utterly unfounded.